October 29, 2016 – Words of Wisdom
HP

“People think being alone makes you lonely, but I don’t think that’s true. Being surrounded by the wrong people is the loneliest thing in the world” (hplyrikz.com)

“For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is plain that this does not include the one who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all. Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? And why are we putting ourselves in danger every hour? I die every day! That is as certain, brothers and sisters, as my boasting of you—a boast that I make in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If with merely human hopes I fought with wild animals at Ephesus, what would I have gained by it? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Come to a sober and right mind, and sin no more; for some people have no knowledge of God.” 1 Corinthians 15:27-34

Paul is writing to a church in Corinth that has been dealing with a lot of problems among the believers, including divisiveness, litigation, food offered to idols, and class divisions at the communal meal. In his first letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul wrote of the false teachers who had come into the church at Corinth teaching that the resurrection of Jesus Christ wasn’t true. These people considered only their physical existence and denied life after death or the resurrection. As a result, their moral outlook on life influenced the rest of the Corinthian believers. Paul writes: “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” The point Paul makes here is something we all need to remember, when we associate with the wrong people, we run the risk of mimicking their behaviors, their language, and their habits. Before long we are no longer of Christ, but of the world. This can especially be true for our youth.

I think some of the loneliest times in my life were when I was living my life with people who did not harbor the same beliefs as me, the same faith, and the same outlook on life. When we surround ourselves with these people, they take us away from a faith community, away from the Word of G-d, and away from a relationship with Jesus. This is one of the reasons I encourage people to come to church – and to become active in a church. One of the best benefits of belonging to a faith community is that you surround yourself with people who are also trying to understand their faith, trying to understand what G-d is doing in their lives and in the world, and people who understand that we are all stronger when we live in community. Too many people leave their homes in the morning, drive their cars to work, work all day, drive their cars home, pull into the garage and close the garage door and do not appear again until the next morning. When we get to know people in a faith community, we are learning one of the most important lessons of life – that we all struggle with the same questions, the same concerns, and the same fears. If you are not involved in a faith community, I encourage you to seek one out soon. Not only is it for your own good, it promotes good morals as well.

Pastor Dave